The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1887-03-10

before the Committee on Railroads on the state
Commerce bill Ny. Chairman and Cent, men of the
Committee. l wish to preface my remarks the
State Railroad Commerce bill by saving that two
years ago. being member Of the Legislature, at
the suggestion of several thousand business men
and farmers all over Maine who sent me petitions
asking redress for erccSsre charges and gross dis
examinations eracttd by the railroads grievances
coming chiefly from sections NJ. {. and Grand
Trunk Railroads, introduced d bill known IL the
long and short haul bill. Mr. Noble of Poland in,
troduced another bill regulating fares. These TWO
bills were pushed without much success before the
Railroad Committee and when it was known that
the friends of the bills intended bringing them le-
fore the Legislature, whether the Committee re
ported favorably not, >sons were made by
the railroad corporations which asked to have both
measures referred to the next Legislature. they
agreeing to correct the abuses Now, gentlemen,
not one letter of that agreement has been carried
out. They did not do as they agreed. The same
grievances remain to-day and are giving great dis
| satisfaction all over Maine. We should have acted
on this measure before, but were watching the
Interstate Commerce bill before Congress. hoping
that would be remedy, but after hearing an in
depreciation of the bill that il would not allc rail
roads wholly within the state Of Maine We have
some o: the sections Of the Interstate commerce
bill which would more Immediately recify exist
ing wrongs. Section > of the state Commerce bil
before you simply directs that al charges shall be
just and reasonable. The advantage of this section
is to give aggIeved parties who claim to be paying
excessive of frcights or fares recourse to the
courts while section 6 declares that such damage
shall be recoverable with asonable attorneys
So, f1,a l,,
will not be obliged to pay attorney all
than he could recover. Nov in regard to high
rates of freights wish TO say that the freight rates
established the Maine Central railroad over
which l do business have not been changed for
twenty years. These rates We're established Ahcn
the Maine Central poor. Now it is rich and
prices all commodities have fallen on from p to
% per cent So we consider these ,a,- OF freight
very unjust and eNtortonate when compared with
other roads unless they perfect nonopoes
like the NJ {. X. Il. For instance, pay on stock
| from Durham to Brighton Market S43 per car.
Now on the Boston \ Albany and many other west
ern roads for hauling cars of cattle the same dis
lance, 200 miles, the charges would be sl5. Sec
ton provides that discrimination shall be
made among individuals. 1t is we'll known that
the shalrest man and the biggest shipper gets the
best rates, which consider unfair. In this free
country we think all should have the same chance.
We know of men who can ship hay s. per car less
| than their neighbors. Under such an arrangement
1t Is impossible for the little fellow to get up with
the bigger'leacr This section covers all Glasses of
| DISCRIMINATORY puts every one ON an even basis,
and Is correct. Section is the short and long haul
clause. We say it is unfair TO discriminate be
| tween towns. For instance, at Oakland they man
ufactrc edge tools and have to compete with other
| manufacturers Of the same kinds Of goods. Now
| because Oakland is an isolated town, having no
communication except by the NJ. c. II. r., charges
on these edge tools are so eNorDitant that if these
people wish to ship their edge tools east they load
them into cars ana bill them to Portland and then
have them rebilled from Portland to St John or
| points east passing right back through the town
where they were manufactured, and by this process
| have saved freight. Corn comes from Portland to
Waterville, Clinton, Burnham, Pittsiicld and New
port at an average cost per bushe OF cts while if
| shipped direct through these towns to Bangor OF
Belfast the freight charges are cts. per bushel.
1t is in the power of railroad corporation to build
up or tear down any town along its line by its M
just discrimination, which we think is too much
power to be sted in any corporation. section ),
| if it becomes law, would deprive these strong
corporations of this monarchial power | have to
say, gentlemen of the Committee, that | for one
stand here between the farmers who are being
punished by ma ny unjust laws ard the business
men and the business interests of our state and
these strong corporations. believe in this bill
and shall do my best to put this Railroad Com
merce bill into the Statutes of Maine.
| Mr.. Libby's remarks We're corroborated by state,
ments made before the Committee by r. w. Brown
of Skowhegan, Representative Head of Water
| vile and Representative Noble of Lewiston.